Seaside and Wayside, Book One  by Julia McNair Wright

The Crab's Enemies

C RABS have many enemies. Fish and birds eat crabs. Men eat some kinds of crabs. Crabs eat each other.

With so many enemies, soon no crabs would be left if they did not lay so many eggs. Mrs. Crab, each year, lays more eggs than you could count.

Crabs do not always have hard shells. When they first come from the egg they have long tails, four legs, and no claws. The crab's body then has a thin cover.

At this time of his life he is very helpless, like a baby. He can swim well, and so can escape some of his enemies. When he gets claws and a hard shell, he is safer.

A little pink crab, named Pea Crab, or Pinna Crab, goes to live in the shell of the oyster. The oyster does not seem to mind it. You may see this little crab in your oyster soup. He turns orange color when he is cooked. The Pinna, or Pea Crab, has a very soft shell.

Little Pinna Crab

The Spider Crab has a brown shell, rough like sand. Little thorns grow all over it. The Spider Crab cuts off fine seaweed with her little sharp claws, and hangs it like ribbons on these thorns or hooks.

Spider Crab

Then she looks like a little green grove! Who can tell why she does that? Is it to hide?

Do you see the wide hind feet of the crab in this picture?

His home is on the sea.

Those are his paddles, or oars. They are his swimming feet. His shell is wide and light. He can float on the waves like a boat. He goes far out on the sea.

Some crabs can dig into the sand very fast. They go in backwards. They slip out of sight like a flash. Or, they leave out the tips of their heads and their eye-pegs, to look about.

Sand Crabs do this.

The shells of Sand Crabs are a pale brown or sand color. These shells are wide and round behind, and come to a point in the front. They are very rough. The crabs' heads are in the narrow part of the shell. Sand Crabs are swift runners.

Some crabs hide in holes in the rocks. Often their color protects them. When they are afraid, they lie flat on the sand, and it is hard to see them. Some birds have long, thin bills, with which to pick Mr. Crab out of his sand house.